[MPWG] Government Increases Restrictions on Wild American Ginseng Harvest

[Olivia Kwong]

From: Mark <herbcowboy at aol.com>

Patricia, thanx for sending this out to MPWG, BUT pls note it came from
ABC's HerbalEGram, not HerbalGram.  HEG is our relatively new
e-newsletter. We will publish a more detailed version of this one in
HerbalGram 68 coming out 1st week of Nov.

Cordially, Mark

On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov wrote:

>
> Blumenthal, M.  Government increases restrictions on wild American ginseng.
>  HerbalGram.  2005; No. 5.
> <http://www.herbalgram.org/default.asp?c=wildginsengext> accessed September
> 12, 2005.
>
>
>
>
>      Government Increases Restrictions on Wild American Ginseng Harvest
>
>
>
>  Minimum Harvest Age Extended to 10 Year-old Roots
>
>
>  By Mark Blumenthal
>
>
>
>  In what some ginseng industry insiders call a “surprising development,”
>  the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) on August 3 announced new
>  restrictions on the export of wild American ginseng roots (Panax
>  quinquefolius L., Araliaceae).1 The new requirement is part of FWS’
>  finding for issuance of export permits for ginseng harvested in 2005, as
>  required under the Convention in Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
>  and Flora (CITES). FWS has now ruled that the minimum age for legal export
>  will be 10 years, doubling the previously required minimum of 5 years.
>
>
>  Although not an actual requirement, the new policy mentions the numbers of
>  leaves, or “prongs” as they are called by harvesters, as a guide to
>  diggers. Because harvested, dried plants do not generally possess leaves
>  at the time of export, the actual aging of roots will be done by counting
>  bud-scale scars on the rhizome, the generally accepted method for decades.
>  According to Roddy Gabel, Chief, Division of Scientific Authority at the
>  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, “We realize that the number of leaves per
>  plant is variable at any age, but the presence of at least 4 leaves is a
>  good indicator that a plant is at least 10 years old.” [Personal
>  communication (e-mail) to M. Blumenthal, Aug. 19, 2005] Previously, 3
>  leaves/prongs was the guide for a harvestable plant.
>
>
>  CITES requirements dealing with plants pertain only to those plants that
>  are harvested for export. Not all CITES-listed plants are considered
>  threatened or endangered. According to Roddy, “In some cases, such as
>  [wild] ginseng, where the plant is traded in high volumes, regulation
>  under CITES is for the purpose of ensuring that trade is based on
>  sustainable harvest levels, to prevent the plant from reaching the point
>  of being threatened or endangered. Based on recent population studies, we
>  are concerned that wild ginseng may be approaching that point, and the
>  increase in minimum age is intended to keep us within a sustainable level
>  of harvest.”
>
>
>  CITES rules do not apply to wild plants harvested for domestic
>  consumption. However, in the case of wild American ginseng, virtually the
>  entire crop is collected for export to Asia where there has been a robust
>  market for wild American ginseng since it was first exported from the
>  American colonies around 1720. Although American ginseng is a relatively
>  popular ingredient in soft drinks and dietary supplements, this ginseng is
>  cultivated in North America (usually Wisconsin or British Columbia); it is
>  not wild ginseng.
>
>
>  Many herb industry members were surprised at the ruling, which was not
>  made according to a process that involved comment from the public.
>  However, the move might be seen as possibly predictable in light of
>  concerns expressed recently by conservation biologists and other
>  scientists about what appears to be a continual decline in American wild
>  ginseng populations in recent years.
>
>
>  Wild American ginseng populations have been in decline for several
>  decades, if not longer. In 1975 American wild ginseng was listed on
>  Appendix II of CITES, thus requiring that its harvest be monitored by
>  state agencies for it to qualify for export. In the past few years there
>  has also been increased concern expressed about declining populations due
>  to browsing by deer. Further, there are questions about ginseng management
>  in some states which allows collectors to begin harvesting in August.
>  Biologists are expressing concerns about the germination ability of the
>  relatively immature seeds from plants harvested this early in the season,
>  per the practice of collectors’ removing the (immature) seeds and planting
>  them where they have removed a plant.
>
>
>  The previous 5-year-old minimum age for export was established by FWS in
>  1999. At that time FWS expressed concern about the continual declines in
>  harvests throughout much of American ginseng's range in Eastern North
>  America and up into Eastern Canada. According to a press release from the
>  American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), the herb industry trade
>  association, “Ironically, one of the factor's cited in [the FWS] decision
>  was that harvests have increased over the past six years.” 2  However,
>  although the total size of the harvests have increased, biologists have
>  been concerned about the relatively smaller size and low age of the
>  individual roots in these harvests.
>
>
>  A recent article states that harvest in Kentucky, a state with an active
>  ginseng monitoring and conservation program, yields about $10 million
>  worth of ginseng a year in legal harvests.3 It is not known how much is
>  poached, i.e., taken illegally either without a permit or even with a
>  permit, harvested on private or federal lands without permission and/or
>  harvested out of season. The reported economic value of wild ginseng dug
>  in Kentucky has remained level since 2000, according to state figures.3
>
>
>  According to Pat Ford, MS, a botanist at the Division of Scientific
>  Authority at FWS, “We are implementing these changes to ensure that wild
>  ginseng remains viable throughout its range in the United States. Based on
>  recent information, we have concluded that our previous export requirement
>  -- that wild plants be at least 5 years of age -- is not adequate to allow
>  plants to mature and produce a sufficient number of fruits (seeds) to
>  sustain future generations of ginseng. We have determined that current
>  harvest levels of wild ginseng are not sustainable and are detrimental to
>  the survival of the species. This is compounded by the fact that some
>  States allow the harvest of ginseng before the seeds have had sufficient
>  time to ripen -- usually after August -- and consequently have low
>  germination rates. Additionally, several states still do not require
>  harvesters to plant seeds of harvested ginseng plants at the point of
>  harvest.” [ref: Ford P. Personal communication (e-mail) to M. Blumenthal,
>  Aug. 10, 2005]
>
>
>  Members of the wild ginseng industry were predictably less than
>  enthusiastic about the new regulations, particularly what they viewed it
>  as a closed-door process on the determination of the rules. “We now have a
>  situation where wild ginseng that can be legally collected at 5 years old
>  throughout its range will not be able to be sold to its primary market,
>  which is in Asia,” said Tony Hayes of Ridge Runner Trading Company in
>  North Carolina in a press release issued by AHPA.2 “It is unfortunate that
>  a decision of this importance has to happen behind closed doors, as the
>  cart has gotten before the horse, at least for the 2005 harvest.”
>
>
>  Echoing these sentiments was AHPA’s president Michael McGuffin. “I know
>  that many AHPA members empathize with the biologists at FWS and want to be
>  sure that wild ginseng is harvested in a sustainable manner,” he stated in
>  the AHPA release.2 “But it must be acknowledged that the current system
>  does not allow our input in the decision-making process, which makes it
>  very difficult to make good business plans if wild ginseng is important to
>  your company.”
>
>
>  The new change does not apply to “woodsgrown” aka “wild-simulated”
>  ginseng, i.e., roots that are cultivated in the woods in natural shade
>  under relatively natural conditions. These plants still must be at least 5
>  years of age to export, said Ford. [Email to M. Blumenthal cited above]
>  FWS is contacting all ginseng exporters of record to advise them of
>  procedures for export of wild-simulated and woodsgrown ginseng. The
>  process that has been developed requires that diggers, dealers, and
>  exporters all keep this type of ginseng separated from truly wild ginseng.
>  This is an attempt by FWS to obviate the sale of wild-harvested roots that
>  may be fraudulently misrepresented as woodsgrown.
>
>
>  Ginseng roots certified by a state as “artificially propagated” may still
>  be exported at any age when accompanied by a valid CITES export
>  certificate. Further, in the event that some seller or exporter has been
>  holding wild roots from a previous year’s harvest and previously certified
>  by a state, those roots may still be exported under the previous 5-year
>  minimum age requirement.
>
>
>  Programs for the conservation of wild American ginseng have been
>  established since the herb was listed in 1975 on Appendix II of CITES. As
>  pointed out by AHPA, “species listed on Appendix II are not necessarily
>  considered to be threatened with extinction but may become so unless trade
>  is subject to appropriate regulation. In order for Appendix II-listed
>  species to enter into international trade, a determination must be made by
>  the ‘scientific authority’ in the country of origin that any harvest is
>  both legally obtained and is not detrimental to the survival of the
>  species. The Division of Scientific Authority at FWS serves in this role
>  for the United States.” 2
>
>  The new requirements can be viewed on the FWS website at
>  http://www.fws.gov/ and then click on “2005 Ginseng Information – Learn
>  More”. Within the document on the 2005 ginseng finding, there is a link to
>  an Annex with more detailed ginseng information.4Â  Anyone with questions
>  about the process, including requirements for harvests of woodsgrown
>  ginseng, should call FWS’ Division of Management Authority, Branch of
>  Permits at 1-800-358-2104 (toll free) or 703-358-2104. For more on
>  American ginseng, see Steven Foster’s Botanical Booklet on ABC’s website.5
>
>
>  References
>
>
>  1. USFWS. Convention permit application for American wild ginseng
>  harvested in 2005. Washington, DC: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Aug. 3,
>  2005. Available at <http://www.fws.gov/>. Accessed Aug 13, 2005.
>
>
>  2. Anon. FWS Extends Harvest Age on Wild American Ginseng to 10 Years.
>  AHPA Update. Silver Spring, MD: American Herbal Products Assn., Aug 5,
>  2005.
>
>
>  3. Maimon A. Poachers endanger Kentucky's ginseng. Dye, tracking used to
>  protect root. [Louisville, KY] Courier-Journal, Jun 6, 2005. Available at
>  <
>  http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050606/NEWS010
>  4/506060393>. Accessed Aug. 19, 2005.
>
>
>  4. Ford P. Annex 1 American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.): Species
>  Review. Washington, DC: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Available at <
>  http://www.fws.gov/>. Accessed Aug 19, 2005 (via Convention permit
>  application for American wild ginseng harvested in 2005 on USFWS site).
>
>
>  5. Foster S. American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). Botanical Booklet
>  Series No. 308. Austin, TX: American Botanical Council, 1996.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>       Reprinted by permission of the American Botanical Council (ABC). ABC
>             is an independent, nonprofit, member-based education
>             organization, dedicated to promoting the responsible use of
>             herbal medicine. For more information about ABC or membership,
>             visit www.herbalgram.org.
>
>